Jamaica's promise and Tivoli's emancipation

Bruce Walker, inspiring student from Tivoli Gardens

by Jean Lowrie-Chin | Monday, September 20, 2010

MY head spinning with various local issues, I decided to Google “Jamaica” and click on some of the links. Wikipedia says, “Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles…situated in the Caribbean Sea, about 145 kilometres (90 miles) south of Cuba, and 190 kilometres (120 miles) west of Hispaniola.”

What Wikipedia does not tell us is that if you spread out the map of the Americas, Jamaica is at its crossroads, the third largest English-speaking country in this side of the world. Being an English speaker makes you a world citizen – English-speaking tourists and investors enjoy easy communication with our workers and Jamaicans segue smoothly into the workplaces of the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Even without planting, seeds grow here, watered by our numerous rivers and springs, and yielding the most intense flavours in the world. In short, Jamaica has extraordinary attributes that have not been leveraged because of the crime and coarseness visited upon us for nearly 40 years by so-called “leaders”.

Continuing our virtual journey through Jamaica via Google, we see Xavier Murphy's www.jamaicans.com started as an after-work hobby at his home in Florida, and now in the top five Jamaican sites on Google. There is an interview by Jennifer Lumley with Jamaican Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Chaplain to England's House of Commons.

Despite the prestige of her new post, the goodly pastor says, “My greatest accomplishment is to be a mother to my children, a wife to my husband and a priest and friend to the people of God given to my care. Cleaning up after an elderly parishioner is more important to me than a title.” She said she hopes to have “a positive, wholesome effect” on the diaspora: “They should never forget God's goodness and they can see the effect of God's love become reality.”

The JIS website – www.jis.gov.jm – reminds us of God's goodness with a heart-warming story about Bruce Walker, a St George's College sixth former and resident of Tivoli Gardens, who kept his focus during the May security operation, and was successful in the demanding CAPE examinations. “On the days when he had to sit the examinations, Bruce says he was escorted by the police out of Tivoli Gardens, and he stayed with a schoolmate's family and from there, went to the sittings at Ardenne High School,” reports Alphea Saunders.

Walker “speaks with pride and respect about his father, Melbourn Walker, describing him as a disciplinarian and the ‘backbone’ of his family, which includes three siblings, and his mother”.

Saunders quotes him on the transformation he sees taking place in his community: “You don't see people on the road as much. It's just different. If you live there, you can feel the difference in the people. Probably after this, children will start to stay in more and do their schoolwork." After its night of mourning, the community may finally be seeing a day of joy, an emancipation from mental slavery.

The report says Walker “believes that eventually Tivoli Gardens will be a better place, as the residents' eyes have been opened to a new reality, a new way of life”.

Does the transformation in Tivoli have anything to do with the continued lowering of the murder rate since June? Before my PNP friends come after me for actually saying something good about Jamaica, let me remind them that we are talking about Jamaican lives – not PNP or JLP – that have been spared.

The Observer website reports that, speaking at a recent private sector conference, Jamaica Defence Force's Head of Communications Colonel Rocky Meade said the events of May 23 – when organised criminal gangs in West Kingston launched their attack on the security forces – demonstrated that criminal elements were willing and had some ability to challenge the state.

“You've all got to realise what the illness was, but the illness is not yet cured,” Meade said. “The operation must be sustained and continued emergency powers would have further strengthened the security forces' efforts.”

Last Wednesday, the Jamaica Constabulary Force reported on the latest crime statistics. It turns out that in the three months after the Western Kingston operation, Jamaica has seen a significant decrease in murders, with August being the third consecutive month that the number of murders fell below 100. There were 81 murders committed last month, compared to 139 in August 2009, the best statistic for any one month since the start of the year.

"The overall figures for recorded murders from the start of the year to the end of August show a total decrease of 59 murders,” said a JCF release.

Even as we rightly demand that our leaders give us the facts, we should acknowledge that Jamaica has taken a step in the right direction in our fight against crime. We are puzzled over this back and forth between the PM and Harold Brady. As a colleague of mine said, PM Golding should not have even answered the question about Brady's membership in the party – he has a general secretary to deal with such matters.

What is happening to this prime minister who is legendary for his thorough approach to projects, his deep reading, quick grasp and analytical response? Could the answer lie in the very few hours of sleep he is taking? We hear stories about him, working late into the night and being back at his desk early in the morning. If this is a regular occurrence, it must take its toll. Studies are now showing that sleeping less than six hours per night can have a deleterious effect on our concentration and general good health. Has PM Golding become a victim of his own dedication?

Whatever decision he makes about remaining in office, history will remember that it was under Bruce Golding's watch that Tivoli Gardens took its rightful place as a community where its decent citizens were finally allowed to earn more respect than they had received for over three decades.

“Leader-ship” is a hard one to steer – let us see if the JLP captain can manoeuvre his vessel through these stormy waters.

COMMENTS (6)

Jah Selassi
9/21/2010
Here we go with circular logics again. If a corrupted leader , in a desperate act to save his own dirty political future cleans up his own crime invested community he is now a hero. This madness must stop. Bruce is not hero, he is the worst of the worst. His motto is "Bruce for Bruce all time, no matter the price". After World War 1 Hilter brought back structure to the German population, should we hail him as a hero too?
george watson
9/21/2010
I keep asking if this writer is the public relations representative. Why wont the Observer publish the posts.
I guess Facebook will provide the answer.
Ruby Shim
9/20/2010
The small-minded among us will not give credit where it's due if it is not credited to the PNP. They will remain ever partisan and cannot see beyond their orange colour. What has the PNP ever done to clean up garrison politics. It will remain with us as long as the politicians see it as a way of it helping them to gain/remain in power. It was a brave move by Mr Golding and I sincerely hope other politicians will seek to rid their own constituency of the dons.
Kram Blake
9/20/2010
It is an unquestionable fact that murder is down. We are pleased. The records show that it was under the JLP that it happened. Even if it was because of the incursion in Tivoli or SOE does that really matter? It was not the first incursion in Tivoli. We must give credit where credit is due.
Wharf Dawg
9/20/2010
Jamaica has seen a significant decrease in murders, with August being the third consecutive month that the number of murders fell below 100. Stop the press!
I thought the State of Emergency was the reason why crime fell. Why is it continuing to fall?
Perhaps Mr Bunting was right after all. No safe haven means criminals are not as bold and if you noticed the arrest rates after crimes has also gone up.. Yes indeed Mr Bunting was RIGHT!!
Martial Law
9/20/2010
Just goes to show that Tivoli was created as a criminal enterprise and hitting Tivoli Gardens lowers crime significantly. Tivoli should have been dealt with from it was in infancy. The security forces have always known this. Only the hypocrites in Jamaica including the media have pretended otherwise.

10 UNANSWERABLE QUESTIONS

BBC | 20 September 2010 | Last updated at 10:34 GMT (click above for link)

JEEVES' UNANSWERABLES

1. What is the meaning of life?

2. Is there a God?

3. Do blondes have more fun?

4. What is the best diet?

5. Is there anybody out there?

6. Who is the most famous person in the world?

7. What is love?

8. What is the secret to happiness?

9. Did Tony Soprano die?

10. How long will I live?

20 September 2010 Last updated at 10:34 GMT


Top 10 'unanswerable' questions revealed


"What is the meaning of life?", "Is there a God?" and even "Do blondes have more fun?" - these are apparently the world's trickiest questions.

Internet search engine Ask Jeeves has compiled what it called a top 10 of "unanswerables" in the past decade.

The list is based on some 1.1 billion queries made on the site since its launch in 2000.

Other weighty issues include mortality, love and fame, but "did Tony Soprano die?" also made it on the list.
Continue reading the main story


Ask Jeeves said that this was because many users of the site had been inquiring about what happened to the TV gangster after the final episode of the popular US drama The Sopranos.

The site also said it was launching an "unanswerables" page to help people shed light on some of the most tricky questions.

Since its launch Ask Jeeves - with its trademark butler - has been struggling against more popular search engines, such as Google.

The original idea behind Ask Jeeves (known as Ask outside the UK) was to allow users to get answers to their questions, as well as traditional keyword searching.

'Resigning' from Jamaica

Letter published in the Gleaner | Saturday 18 Sept 2010

The Editor, Sir:

Columnist Garth Rattary's article in The Gleaner of September 14 was quite instructive. This article reflects the feelings, emotions and actions of many Jamaicans who are disgusted and fed up with what is happening in our country, yet feel powerless in effecting any meaningful change.

My wife and I have five grown children, all of whom completed their tertiary-level education in Jamaica. Only one now lives and works here, although in earlier days they all had high hopes of contributing significantly to their country. The others live and work in other parts of the world. As parents, we are only happy that those who have left worked in Jamaica long enough to serve what could be considered voluntary 'bond' period.

Our second daughter, whom I considered well-positioned to lead a successful life in Jamaica with her family, called me one night five years ago, requesting of me some personal information, which I supplied, but which got me very curious. When I enquired what was the reason for her request, the response was "Daddy, we are planning to migrate."

Lost hope

"Why?" I asked. She explained that she was losing hope in the country's future and that if she remained her quality and standard of life would be compromised.

In addition, she said that the widespread crime wave and corruption throughout the system, uncertainty in our jobs and earning prospect made it difficult for her to be satisfied to raise her children here.

Shortly thereafter, she packed and left with her family. Where they are now, many of the challenges they faced in Jamaica are behind them. Our first son and his family packed and left Jamaica. The other son also migrated. Our first daughter had also left many years earlier.

At first, my wife and I were very disappointed that our children had opted to leave our beautiful country. However, they, like many others, are seeing things differently. They have resigned from Jamaica, only to pay the occasional visit. This is but one family. Think of the number of other families with a similar story.

Disgusted and frustrated

My observation is, while many of our leaders fiddle with the future of our country, many of our qualified young persons are disgusted and frustrated with what is happening in Jamaica. They seem not prepared to stand up and fight to rid the country of the many ills that beset us. Is it a cop-out, or have they tried as if they were hitting against a brick wall?

The young people, like many of us older ones, cannot understand why those elected to govern and manage the affairs of the country cannot be trusted; why the leaders place so much emphasis on party and so little on country, and why it seems their real intent is to gain and retain state power at any cost, even at the cost of their own integrity and the faith of the public.

Those of us who are not prepared to live elsewhere must join forces with persons of goodwill to chart a visionary and workable agenda to save this country, Jamaica, and move it forward for all the people.

A process of rescuing the country from those discredited leaders has started among some people. What we need now are leaders of integrity and trust to lead the change process to enable the people to regain hope in our country. Jamaica and Jamaicans deserve a chance to progress. Persons of goodwill, I make a public plea, in spite of our frustrations, let us not resign from Jamaica.

I am, etc.,

CONCERNED PARENT

Mandeville
Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel

'Love that body, make it last'

Wellness gurus Professor Denise Eldemire Shearer and Dr Anthony Vendryes.

by Jean Lowrie-Chin
Jamaica Observer | Monday, September 13, 2010

It was painful to hear our alarm go off at 5:45 am last Saturday. Crawling out of bed, we headed to Emancipation Park for a session with Tai Chi Master Stewart Maxwell. To our surprise the Park was a hive of activity — lots of folks were walking, jogging and stretching, a vision of active contentment. At the end of class we felt refreshed and finally happy to greet the day — those endorphins had kicked in.

We owe it to ourselves to be as well as we can possibly be. It is a part of our education that we have not emphasised enough, a shortcoming that can have serious implications for regional health care budgets as our population is rapidly greying. Three years ago, Caribbean Wellness Day was announced as one of the mandates of Caricom Heads of Government coming out of their landmark Summit on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), held in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, in 2007. It is now observed annually on the second Saturday of September. This year's theme is "Love that body, make it last".

Chronic NCDs include diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, and cancer, which account for 60 per cent of deaths worldwide and are reported to be the leading causes of death, disability and illness in the Caribbean. In a region where we have an abundance of wholesome food crops and excellent weather, we should not be suffering from diseases which are largely brought on by poor diet, insufficient exercise and too few hours of sleep.

But let us take a closer look at our Jamaican society and see how some of our social issues affect our health. One overweight single mother admitted that from work to home, to housework and homework, she dealt with her stress by eating. A senior citizen has watched her once peaceful neighbourhood become a nightmare of night noises - now she hardly gets a good night's sleep. So afraid are we of the criminals in our midst that we will drive the shortest of distances to the corner store, instead of just walking as we used to do.

Illiteracy and misplaced values result in poor health management, and malnourished children. Nurses at the Bustamante Hospital for Children say that the condition of some of our children can be heartbreaking. They are fed the crumbs from the tables of greedy relatives who "bling out" on remittances from the children's parents.

As we became excited about FNO - a great concept to boost business, let us put our minds to attractive programmes that will help us to take control of our health. Kudos to Jamaica Producers for their campaign to promote the consumption of our delicious local bananas and the National Health Fund for their wise messages.

We are lucky that Jamaica, perhaps, has the healthiest fast-food chains, carrying vegetarian items and home-grown ingredients. However, I have heard that the crusts of our delicious patties contain animal fat - I hope this is not true.

Health management is important, and we welcome the introduction of the health ministry's passport for children in which their immunisation history can be entered. I also wish mothers of young children would desist from wearing those long, unhygienic nails - have you ever seen a nurse or a chef with nails that long? Take a hint!

In honour of Caribbean Wellness Day, allow me to share with you some important tips from those two gurus of good health, Prof Denise Eldemire Shearer and Dr Anthony Vendryes. This information was presented at a Wellness Seminar for the members of the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP) (see this and Tai Chi demo at www.ccrponline.org).

Professor Eldemire Shearer described healthy ageing as "the ongoing activities and behaviours you undertake to reduce the risk of illness and disease and increase your physical, emotional and mental health."

She recommended, "Maintaining mental and physical health, avoiding disorders or disease and remaining active and independent." This last point helped me to respect the lifestyle choices of my octogenarian mother.

Professor Eldemire Shearer advised that "chronic disease which is manifest in adult life is the result of exposure to risk factors, the major ones being tobacco, alcohol, high-fat diet and low levels of exercise." She spoke of "the incredible ability of cells to survive, cellular repair systems and the fact that we can impact our ageing process."

"There are certain healthy habits that will influence healthy ageing," said Professor Eldemire Shearer. "These are: following a nutritious diet, exercising regularly and staying mentally active."

She quoted Garson Kanin: "Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art."

Dr Vendryes warned that "we are digging our graves with our teeth," and said that we should reduce abdominal fat. "Shape can be more important than weight," he said, pointing out that the fat in the abdomen could be more dangerous than fat on the thighs.

Exercise is important. "Use it or lose it!" counselled Dr Vendryes. "Exercise complements nutrition, has physical and emotional benefits and slows the ageing process." He recommended both aerobic exercise and resistance exercise, advising us to "start slowly, be consistent, enjoy what you do."

Dr Vendryes says wellness demands that we cleanse our bodies of poisons such as "cigarette smoke, alcohol, drugs (legal and otherwise), chemicals and pollutants. These toxins hasten ageing."

He urged proper stress management. "Stress is not a person or situation, it is a reaction or response," he explained. "It is the enemy within and it accelerates ageing. To manage stress, you should learn to know your stress reaction and learn the relaxation response."

Let us promise ourselves to make wellness a priority - the payback is endurance, productivity, and a positive outlook on life. To pursue wellness is the manifestation of your love for your family, your effort to be in your best condition so you can be fully "there" when they need you. Dr Vendryes quoted Hippocrates' age-old saying: "Your health is your greatest wealth."

lowriechin@aim.com

Keep your hands on the wheel

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/11/AR2010091100469.html?wpisrc=nl_headline

The Washington Post

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Shove that burger in your face, gloss your lips ruby red or send a quick text while behind the wheel, and it might cost you $250 in Fairfax County starting Monday.

Frustrated by a toothless law that the Virginia legislature passed last year, the Fairfax County Police Department is turning to an old law to wage war against distracted driving, and it won't just be illegal text messaging that gets people pulled over.

Although there's no law against eating, grooming or reading while driving through Virginia, you are required to "pay full time and attention" to your driving, officials said.

Click on link above for link to Washington Post
Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel

Facing the music and keeping the faith

BY JEAN LOWRIE-CHIN | Jamaica Observer | Monday, September 06, 2010


Janet Reno on Waco:"This was the hardest decision I have ever had to make."

LAST Thursday evening, about two dozen "opinion leaders", attended a meeting at Jamaica House with Prime Minister Golding. The PM related the chronology of the Christopher "Dudus" Coke extradition order on August 25, 2009, noting that he had been advised of a "significant flaw in the way in which the evidence was placed". He said that it was not unusual for the JLP as a political party to get involved in international relations and Harold Brady was asked to call a long-time friend of the Party, Frank J Fahrenkopf, Jr who had served as chairman of the Republican Party during Ronald Reagan's presidency.

Fahrenkopf told Brady that with the change of US government, it was better that he contact Chuck Manatt, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Golding admitted that when he heard that there would be a formal engagement of Manatt's law firm, "I should have shut it down", meaning the relationship with the firm.

The PM said that a friend, who read the script of his May 12 apology to the nation, advised him not to say that he had sanctioned the hiring of the legal firm, but rather that he accepted responsibility. "But I did sanction," said Golding, "and I was not going to hide." He said he decided to take the heat and apologise "profusely and sincerely". During last week's meeting, Golding took a good pounding from media and human rights representatives as he kept turning the other cheek - "Yes ... yes ... you are right."

Regarding the US$50,000 that had been used to pay Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, the PM said it had been provided by a longtime donor to the JLP. He said the individual was a business person who had asked that his name not be disclosed since he was running a business and did not want to become embroiled in the current controversy. I think Professor Trevor Munroe came up with a good suggestion: disclose the name to the selected members of the Electoral Commission and let them tell the country if they are satisfied with the person's bona fides.

I left the meeting sorry for Golding, but sorrier for Jamaica. As he himself said, "There were some things that went terribly wrong." What made it so "terrible" was the shock that this exemplary prime minister could have sanctioned such a deal. People who have held political office have told me that it is hard to understand the intricacies of political relationships at the constituency level, especially in a community once described as "the mother of all garrisons".

Once Golding took the decision to send the security forces into Tivoli, certain elements declared war on the state. Women marched with signs declaring, "I will die for Dudus", police stations were torched and gas cylinders were wired to be set off, if the barricades that had been set up around the community were breached. As the US State Department had done in Waco, Texas in 1993, numerous notices were sent out, appealing for residents to give up their self-appointed leaders.

After a 51-day standoff in Waco, a non-lethal gas was leaked into the compound to try to end the siege. However, as then Attorney General/Justice Dept Head Janet Reno related, "Six hours went by, six hours, and still no one came out. The rest you know. The Branch Davidians were recorded while they spread the fuels used to ignite the fire that resulted in the deaths of all but nine." Seventy-six persons, including four soldiers, died that day in Texas.

"This was the hardest decision I have ever had to make," said Reno, "probably one of the hardest decisions that anybody could have to make. It will live with me for the rest of my life. I'm accountable for it."

Perhaps this is in effect what Bruce Golding is saying to us. But forgiveness has to be earned. Perhaps if he pushes through the constitutional reforms giving term limits to the PM, and taking away his powers to call an election any time, and if he is able to get passage of the Organised Crime Act and amendments to contract award procedures, he could well win back our faith.

The PM should desist from calling out the media. He should understand that headlines and cartoons are the direct result of his self-confessed sanction. As he rightly pointed out at the meeting, "We will never bring closure to this matter." A colleague remarked to me that Golding has provided comfortable facilities for the Opposition party at West King's House Road to huddle for "nightmare planning" - no good deed goes unpunished!

He should take comfort from Dr Al Sangster's remark that it was the first time a Jamaican Prime Minister had said "I erred ... please forgive me." Dr Sangster urged him to turn his focus on "running the country".

I was criticised by a reader for listing "a litany of positives in the country" in last week's column. To his incredible suggestion that I was doing PR for the JLP, let me emphasise that my "litany" was about talented Jamaicans who were producing despite the challenges. Those of us who love Jamaica more than we love party, soldier on in our imperfect environment and give each other energy by supporting what is good about us.

This is why Governor General Sir Patrick Allen and Lady Allen hosted an "I Believe" -- themed luncheon last Tuesday to honour NCU's Xormis Team that captured the Microsoft Imagine Trophy in Poland earlier this year over such IT giants as the US, China, India and Japan. "For this modest-sized university in a small developing island to be the top in the world in an IT competition is nothing short of phenomenal," said the GG.

Since giving his classic "I Believe" Inaugural Address, Sir Patrick has founded, with Lady Allen, an "I Believe" programme, embodying "the ideal of a Jamaica in which individuals are inspired to believe in themselves, actualise their full potential, and contribute to the building of a prosperous, progressive and peaceful nation."

Did the Allens do this to make any politician look good? Of course not! Like all patriots, they believe in our possibilities and refuse to become immobilised by fear and cynicism. We should not blind ourselves to the goodness of so many around us, and the natural beauty we enjoy. Even as we come to terms with the tragic events of the past year, Jamaicans still have every reason to believe.

lowriechin@aim.com

Trevor Dawes
9/7/2010
Jean, back in the days of Waco, Janet Reno wa not the US Sec'y of State but the AG/head of the Dep't of Justice. Just to correct that mistake.
Kwame Gordon-Martin
9/7/2010
In her quest to quash it, Jean has initiated more questions. Was this "significant flaw" in Dudus's case present in any previous extradition? Why did the party spend so much political capital in order to prevent Dudus's extradition? Where does the "party" stop and the government begin? At the end of the day, the JLP masquerading as "our" government expended every kind of capital, monetary, social, political to prevent the extradition of a wanted man. To me, that's enough reason for a resignation
Kram Blake
9/7/2010
At some point Bruce will have to stop apologizing for his actions in the Dudus matter. A general election will eventually be called and if we accept his apology and thinks he is the best leader at that time we will vote for him. If we think Portia is better we will vote for her. How much apology can one person give? Whether or not we accept his apology it is time to move on.
Allan Jones
9/7/2010
Is this the same Dr. Sangster who could not see any wrong in Mr. Golding when he had the Public Service Commission fired? He like this writer can obviously see no wrong in Mr. Golding and this article is obviously a part of the ongoing PR campaign as stated by the reader last week.
Ruby Shim
9/6/2010
It seems Mr golding can do no right and Mrs DSimpson Miller no wrong. We never had this kind of angry outbursts when Trafigura was uncovered. Dont tell me Colin Campbell was the only one in the government who knew about the money being paid for favours. I suppose its not corruption if its done by the PNP. Mr golding should take Prof Munroe's advice and let us move on to rebuild our country.
Wa Tch
9/6/2010
"Perhaps if he pushes through the constitutional reforms......"
No Ms. Lowrie Chin, opinion leader, what he has to do is resign?
By the way who are the other opinion leaders who were invited? Could they be apologists for Golding who hold the incredible view that he turned the other cheek. Is this lady describing the same arrogant PM who engages in disgusting tracing and distortion of facts. No madam he is not exemplary and should GO.
Beresford Davidson
9/6/2010
You all, in the press, want something make fuss about that ended up costing lives and embarrassing the country. When the PNP was in power they could do no wrong; now the JLP is in power you want them to toe the line. That's hog wash and bs; the Jamaican press is as corrupt as those, in politics, they play blind to see and those they opposed claim to be.

RIP Carlos Lopez - message from Peter Brooks

September 6, 2010 will be remembered by me and probably many other Georgians as a day of monumental importance as it marks the closing of a chapter of one of the great stories of our fine institution.

Early this morning, Carlos Lopez, the most selfless and generous human beings it has ever been my privilege to know passed from this world to answer a higher calling.

As a former athlete at St. George’s (and it was impossible to be an athlete in the decade of the 70’s without him touching your life) I say goodbye to my friend, my mentor, my father and confidant. Carlos was all that and more to so many of us back then and no amount of words can adequately capture the gratitude I have for the man and the sorrow I feel now n his passing. If ever there were a man deserving of the hi
ghest honours our school can bestow it would be him.

Please offer your prayers for his soul and never let his memory die.

Funeral arrangements are being finalized but should be at the Holy Trinity Cathedral sometime between now and September 18.



AMDG

Peter Brooks

'No better barrel, no better herring'

YENDI PHILLIPPS... her genuine smile and sparkling eyes reflect the warmth for which our country is renowned.

Jamaica Observer column | Jean Lowrie-Chin | 30 August 2010

While we were listening intently to the local news, we noticed that two young relatives did not appear in the least bit interested: one was nodding to the rhythm of his iPod while the other was smiling at a message on her BlackBerry. They say they are so sick and tired of politics that I shudder to think what the voter turnout will be in the next general election.

But thanks to our dedicated public servants and intrepid entrepreneurs, we continue to surprise ourselves. Cinecom's Natalie Thompson (Cool Runnings, How Stella Got Her Groove Back) just completed work as line producer for a movie filmed for the most part in Jamaica's inner cities and had nary an incident. Ghetto Life is written and directed by Chris Browne and was filmed in Rose Town, Craig Town, Trench Town, Grants Pen, the Stanley Couch Gym between Southside and Rae Town and Top Range in Mountain View. In fact, they worked mostly at night.

Our 4-H Movement is inspiring a growing number of young Jamaicans to go into farming. We are sitting on a gold mine of the world's best coffee, ginger, pimento and some of the tastiest organically grown fruits and vegetables. Chef Colin Hylton tells me that otaheite apple is finally being processed by a company called Goshen into jams and syrups. We caught up with friends Mike Nugent and Anthony Raymond in New York last weekend - they say the enthusiasm for Jamaican-grown and produced products has never been higher.

Over the past week, folks from our firm travelled across Jamaica for a series of culinary workshops presented by Norway's celebrity chef Espen Larsen. The Jamaican chefs worked magic, pairing saltfish with yam, breadfruit, Scotch bonnet and other spectacular Jamaican products. Award-winning chef Anthony Miller, who attended, will be guest chef of the South African Culinary Association in mid-September with the mandate to bring Jamaican flavours to their annual feast.

The view from the terrace of the Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios left our visitors breathless and vowing to return. We met US-based Jamaican Dr Walford Bancroft Lindo who was on his fourth visit to the property managed by the highly respected Peter Fraser.

"They say a man is not king in his country, but here, I feel truly honoured," Dr Lindo declared. "I am encouraging my fellow Jamaicans abroad to vacation in their homeland. I have been to many other destinations in the Caribbean and Jamaica remains my favourite."

At Tryall in Hanover, our guests marvelled at the flawless golf course nestled against the sparkling sea. Every step of the way, they lauded the outstanding service of the hotel staffers, the artistry of our chefs, many of whom were trained right here in Jamaica, and the extraordinary beauty of our country.

Every Jamaican, who can afford it, owes it to himself to become more familiar with this wonderful place we call home, at the same time making our contribution to the tourism industry, the biggest employer of our excellent hospitality workers.

Just as Yendi Phillipps did, we should be promoting this big world brand called Jamaica. We want it to prosper, so why do we persist in being so cynical? Our lovely Yendi with her open smile and sparkling eyes reflected the warmth for which our country is renowned. Was it her mention of God in her reply to the judges that lost her those precious points? Well, so be it - she may have come second in Miss Universe but she is Number One in our hearts. My friend Dave Rodney said Jamaicans up north were riveted to the television watching Yendi on Monday night, and calling each other at every stage of the eliminations. "It was like the Beijing Olympics all over again," he enthused.

Our legendary poster child Usain Bolt has been signed on by Puma for four additional years to the tune of US$10 million per year. Even when we were turning our noses down at our flag, long before the emergence of Bolt, Puma had decided that they would do Jamaica-themed products and decorate their store windows in our vibrant black-green-and-gold. Homegrown Jamaican companies need to understand the power of our flag in the world market.

After TVJ's June poll showed 87 per cent of Jamaicans wanting to migrate to the US, some took to Facebook to reaffirm their faith. Here are a few quotes:

Sheryl: "No weh nuh betta dan yard, the grass is not always greener, I guess some just don't know that. Ja just need likkle money."

Sandra: "Nope ...life is hard everywhere, crime and corruption is worldwide so is everything else that happens in Jamaica. If I have to fight to survive, I'd rather do it on the soil I was created on...always praying for Jamaica."

Christopher: "Absolutely not...I wish my family never left."

Talisa: "That's really something else. What people in Ja seem to fail to realise is that it's a complete different ball game from when u talk about "farrin" how money run vs actually living here. I'm in America and I'm poor, and feeling the effects of corruption. Cho man."

On the other hand, some are downright disappointed in their country:

Michelle: "Mi woulda tek a one way ticket right now, mi tired a di crime, corruption, discrimination and mismanagement!"

Horace: "I'd leave in a split sec. I miss the days when people could sleep with their doors even half open."

So are our politicians ready to redeem themselves and revive our faith? There is so much blame to go around that it would be a waste of time to start pointing fingers, the favourite pastime of the JLP and PNP. Our two major political parties should know that their shallow games of sophistry are unconvincing and tiresome. Give us the truth about Trafigura, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips and DB&G. Take your medicine and resolve to put Jamaica first.

We have placed our trust in our members of parliament to be the lawmakers, not the lawbreakers of our land. The world is in an economic depression so we are asking them not to make it worse for us. My grandmother would say, "You are no better barrel, no better herring." Let us get busy with the nation's work and stop this power-hungry bickering.

lowriechin@aim.com

COMMENTS
Devon T
8/31/2010
Let us get busy with the nation's work and stop this power-hungry bickering... The best part of this article. I have no idea why we chat so much thing is ...40% of us chatting and claiming rights have given up the most important of those rights... TO VOTE. Do you believe that if we have a 100% voter turnout in Jamaica our politicians would behave like they do...Ever envisioned the thought of Politicians fearing the people that voted...Trust me that is the best possible thing we could do.
Ruby Shim
8/30/2010
You are so right about us dwelling so much on the negatives and casting blame. Both our political parties spend more time casting blame on the other that we cant get anything done in this country. All the PNP want to do is regain power AT ALL COSTS no matter who suffers. They dont have the answer to our problems as we can see from the 18 years they were in office. They gave out contracts to their cronies and lied about Trafigura. What more do you expect from them.
Duncan Bertram
8/30/2010
Will somebody inform these people that colonialism is dead. Just saying....
Martial Law
8/30/2010
And your point is what exactly?
george watson
8/30/2010
The writer must be the best PR strategist in the country. She begins with no better herring, no better barrel bit and then goes on to list a litany of positives in the country, without of course tying them to the JLP.
If I were reading this, my first thought would be, "despite what is happening then, why change the JLP." Of course this logic is flawed, because she is not one of the thousands of public servants not being paid what they are due, nor have the difficulty with school next week.
Chuck Emanuel
8/30/2010
Jamaica, no problem mon !.
Jaye Stone
8/30/2010
What is your point Jean? We have some great prospects lined up, but who will stand at the helm od leadership? We have thugs on either side to choose from, none of them really interested in taking the country forward until they are in opposition.

Newsweek: Jamaica best place in Caribbean

The Jamaican Flag stands out in this Newsweek graphic!

Jamaica ranked 47th out of 100 countries worldwide

Jamaica Observer | Thursday, August 19, 2010

JAMAICA is the top-ranked Caribbean nation to live in terms of education, health, quality of life, economic competitiveness, and political environment, according to Newsweek magazine.
Assisted by experts including Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E Stiglitz, the magazine compiled metrics across those five categories, which ranked the island 47th, three places above Cuba, among 100 countries surveyed.
Newsweek's first-ever Best Countries special issue attempted to answer the question, "…if you were born today, which country would provide you the very best opportunity to live a healthy, safe, reasonably prosperous, and upwardly mobile life?"
The survey will be welcome news for tourism authorities who have been struggling to rebuild Jamaica's image following the civil unrest in West Kingston in May. During this time some hotels in the capital reported that occupancy had fallen to zero levels.
Since that time the Jamaica Observer has been approved by Vogue magazine to participate in this year's global Fashion's Night Out on September 10, when for five hours, participating stores across Jamaica will be slashing their prices.

Mohan believes in Jamaica

Mohan and his partner Dennis Hawkins of Spur Tree Ltd as they received their award as a Bold One in Manufacturing from National Bakery's Butch Hendrickson. Looking on is JMA Executive Director Imega Breeze-McNab

My friend Mohan Jagnarine recently hosted a wedding here for his daughter. Some of his overseas guests were fearful of coming to Jamaica because of the recent negative headlines. “Once they got here,” he said, “over 90 per cent of them said they were surprised at how lovely Jamaica still was, and that they want to come back!”

They went on a tour near Dunn’s River and a few fellows offered to take their money to buy them some beers. “They were afraid that they wouldn't see the guys again, but I assured them that they would and even promised to repay them if they didn't,” said Mohan. “Well, sure enough, the fellows brought back their beers and counted out their change to the last cent!” This is the Jamaica that people like Mohan continue to believe in.

Let's have a Marcus Mosiah Garvey Holiday!

We have the inspiring philosophy of Marcus Mosiah Garvey whose birthday we celebrate this week. August 17 should be a national holiday when we raise awareness of this most famous Jamaican National Hero, who was a champion of entrepreneurship and self determination. He was not a racist, and wrote about the achievements of America's white entrepreneurs in glowing terms. In fact, he was one of the greatest philosophers of the 20th century.

Two years ago on Garvey's birthday, my husband and I headed to the Bird's Nest in Beijing for our third evening at the Olympics. I declared that we needed to win some medals for Marcus – he told me that I was being greedy because we had won Gold on the two previous days. Would you believe, it was that very night that our three women athletes made history with one gold and two silver medals (see report at blog linked below). A Russian who spotted our flag shouted at us, “Jamaica, you are great! 1-2-2!”

Check the August 2008 report in the blog!

The right to life – and a living

Jamaica's Ambassador to the USA - Hon Audrey Marks

by Jean Lowrie-Chin
Jamaica Observer | 16 August 2010

I had a long conversation recently with our dynamic new Ambassador to Washington, Audrey Marks. She has been explaining to some pretty big names on Capitol Hill that PM Golding had taken one of the greatest risks of his political life in the extradition proceedings against Christopher Coke. She is asking that “he and Jamaica need to be supported in the thrust to continue dismantling garrisons and revitalising downtown Kingston by providing security and socioeconomic resources similar to Plan Colombia”.

Marks says that some of the senior US folks were impressed that Golding took such an unpopular (if belated) stand in his own constituency. There is certainly no perfect situation under the sun, and though I was disappointed by his handling of the situation, there was a significant reduction in crime during the State of Emergency. We agreed that in time Jamaica's respected electoral system will allow the people to have their say.

This is in no way to defend Golding, but to defend Jamaica from those who would try to squeeze the last bit of political mileage out of every situation, even if it means squeezing the country half to death. Why in heaven’s name did the PNP “abstain” from the vote to extend the State of Emergency? Look at the heartless murder of eight Jamaicans at Tredegar Park on Friday morning! One colleague commented, “Don't these human rights people believe in the right to life?”

Jamaica's political front definitely needs some fresh faces and so we commend colleague Betty-Ann Blaine on the formation of her new NNC party. Ah yes, the fate of third parties in Jamaica seems almost inevitable, but who knows? The NNC may merge with the NDM and give Jamaicans a viable third option.

We should also acknowledge the relevance of Gordon “Butch” Stewart's call at this time, for less talk and more support for business. This is how we will keep our young people out of gangs. The problem of unemployment in Jamaica is a serious crisis and businesses are getting a beating, instead of being empowered to expand and create more jobs. Jamaica has no smog like Russia, no floods like Pakistan, no landslides like China, no desert like the Sudan, no war like Afghanistan. We have optimum conditions for productivity, but serious bureaucratic roadblocks.

Monk's mother calls on women to join one-day boycott of Mass

The Irish Times - Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Monk's mother calls on women to join one-day boycott of Mass
 
PATSY McGARRY, Religious Affairs Correspondent

AN 80-YEAR-OLD woman is organising a one-day boycott of Sunday Mass "by the faithful women of Ireland" next month.

Jennifer Sleeman from Clonakilty in Cork said she wants "to let the Vatican and the Irish church know that women are tired of being treated as second-class citizens".

She has called on the Catholic women of Ireland to "join your sisters on Sunday, September 26th. On that one day boycott Mass. Stay at home and pray for change. We are the majority. We may have been protesting individually but unremarked on, but together we have strength and our absence, the empty pews, will be noticed".

She said: "Whatever change you long for, recognition, ordination, the end of celibacy, which is another means of keeping women out, join with your sisters and let the hierarchy know by your absence that the days of an exclusively male-dominated church are over."

She told The Irish Times she had chosen the date of September 26th as her 81st birthday was three days previously, on the 23rd.

She said she looks at her "children and grandchildren and see no future for the Catholic Church. Some of the grandchildren go through the rites of sacraments but seldom, if ever, visit a church afterwards. Some of my children are actively looking for a meaningful spiritual life but they do not find it in the Catholic Church." But, she said, "I must except my eldest son who is a monk in Glenstal Abbey, another place that helps me keep some shreds of faith."

She noted her son, Fr Simon, was supportive of her in her action.

Over recent Sundays, Ms Sleeman had been to the Church of Ireland in Clonakilty, to Mass in Knocknaheeney, and back to the Catholic Church in Clonakilty. "I felt so welcome in the first two and just wondered what I was doing in 'my own church' [Clonakilty]," she said. "Since then I have been to the celebration of the Methodist Church's 150 years in Clonakilty, another joyful and welcoming occasion."

A former Presbyterian who converted to Catholicism 54 years ago, she said: "I am not a cradle Catholic. I chose to join as an adult helped by meeting a wonderful priest . . . but I now wonder did I do the right thing?" She has found that "somehow I have grown up but the church has not".

The sexual abuse scandals "horrified me. I find I belong to an organisation that seems caught in a time warp, run by old celibate men divorced from the realities of life, with a lonely priesthood struggling with the burden of celibacy where rules and regulations have more weight than the original message of community and love".

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How to Run Your Entire Business Using Free and Low Cost Web Apps

Courtesy of the PositiveTourism website

Wednesday, 11 August 2010

Software as a service (SaaS) and all things related to cloud computing have grown enormously popular for small business use of the last few years, and why not. Many of the services needed to run today's businesses can be acquired for little of no cost and allow even the tiniest of start-ups to do things once only achieved by much larger organizations.

Access to online tools from virtually anywhere opens up markets, expands access to vendors and talent and makes collaboration something more easily done, even with internal teams.

The list below is a round-up of some of the tools available today. It's conceivable that organizations could run their entire business with little more than a web browser.

Marketing

HeapCRM - Very intuitive product built specifically for small business

Infusionsoft – CRM with ecommerce, email marketing and affiliate modules built right in

ZohoCRM - Part of the Zoho family and an nice alternative to Salesforce.com for those that don't need all the extras

Graphic Design   

Sliderocket - Powerful way to build and share online presentation

WebNode – HTML and css editor robust enough to design and maintain entire web sites

Aviary - Suite of online graphic design tools for image editing, color and effects editing, illustration and even audio editing

Pixlr - Extremely popular free online photo editor

Jaycut – online video editing set of tools that also allows you to install video editing on your site for user generated campaigns

Management

HyperOffice - Project and business management suite that is great for collaboration teams

Central Desktop - Project management that allows you to easily build wiki style intranets and operation's manuals

Torch - Integrates nicely with Google Apps and allows project management with bidding and invoicing built in.

Box.net - Simple file sharing and storage that plays well with mobile devices.

Mozy.com - Automatic and scheduled online back-ups for all that stuff you still keep on a computer.

Amazon S3 - S3 is just online storage that is part of Amazon's Web Services offering, but you can store and stream tons of content for very little here.  

Mindmeister – Online mind mapping and brainstorming tool

Evernote - Great tool for all your notes, thoughts, bookmarks and web clippings. Syncs well with mobile devices

Productivity

Zoho.com - Zoho has become the mother of all online offerings. In fact, you could probably run your entire business with their suite of tools alone

Acrobat.com - Adobe's play in the application word of spreadsheets, docs, and presentations. More useful than Google Apps to me.

Google Apps - If you are a Google user than it's pretty natural to see how this Officelike set of tools would make sense.

30boxes - Easiest way to create and share calendars online.

Google Calendar - Google's calendar system is free and syncs with other desktop and mobile calendars well.

Tungle.me - Primarily a scheduling calendar for groups that need to find times that are open for all to meet.

Time Bridge - Does time tracking, scheduling and sharing well.

Tokbox – Nice group video chat tool that allows groups large and small to meet via video without downloading software.

Wobzip – online file compression tool that can replace software such as WinZip and StuffIt.

Zamar – Upload files to Zamar and convert them to the format you need - mp4 to mov or mov to flv.

Meebo – online based group chat. No need to download desktop clients as all chat is done via browser (nice way to offer chat to web visitors).

Finance
   
QuickBooks Online - QuickBooks, but online. Multiple user options and payroll add-on and a simple, free version.

Freshbooks - Great time and billing software with lots of personal options

Mint - More of a personal finance tool, but small businesses find it easy to use. Very nice budget tool.

Toggl -  Simple time tracking tool

People

Effortless HR - Employee HRMS/HRIS system online.

SimplyHR - Personnel management and recruiting tools.

You can even have a cloud operating system with iCloud.

This isn't the complete list of applications. For some of these categories there are dozens of options, but this should getting you started realizing the breadth of opportunities available for small business web apps.

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Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator

Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue
STROKE: Remember the 1st Three Letters.... S. T. R. A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally.. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough. 
RECOGNIZING A STROKE
Remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn! Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. 
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions: 
S *Ask the individual to SMILE. 
T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently - i.e. It is sunny out today.) 
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS. If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.. 
New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue 
NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue... If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke. 

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved. I
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Time for deadbeat donors to pay up!

In the months after Haiti's earthquake pledges of aid came from all over the world – totalling more than $5 billion USD. However 6 months on, only 10% of this aid has actually been delivered to Haiti – compromising the country's ability to rebuild and prepare for the upcoming hurricane season. President Bill Clinton, UN special envoy to Haiti, has vowed to chase the countries with outstanding pledges, and we'd like to show him the world supports his efforts. I just signed a petition asking world leaders to deliver the aid they pledged to Haiti as soon as possible. Please join me by signing the petition here: http://one.org/international/actnow/haitiaid/index.html?rc=haitiaidconfemail Together as ONE we can make a difference! Thanks!
The ONE Campaign Team
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Lenworth Dixon's Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan Cocktail recipe
by Lenworth Dixon - Bars2Go

Scale ingredients to servings
1 1/2 oz vodka
1 oz cranberry juice
1 oz orange juice
1/2 oz triple sec

Shake vodka, triple sec, orange and cranberry juice vigorously in a shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass, garnish with a lime wedge on the rim, and serve.

PAJ, MAJ Meet with Commissioner of Police

COMMISSIONER OF Police Owen Ellington says next month he will publish rules of engagement for members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and journalists at crime scenes.

He made the commitment during a meeting on Tuesday (July 20) with a delegation from the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ), and Media Association Jamaica Limited (MAJ). The meeting was held on the request of the PAJ following the harassment by a policeman of CVM Television’s videographer, Kirk Hall while covering a crime scene in St Ann several weeks ago.

The meeting agreed that all parties, including members of the Jamaica Defence Force, would consult on producing the final draft of police/media rules of engagement already developed by the JCF. The rules will reflect, where appropriate, the PAJ/MAJ Code of Practice for Journalists. On completion of the consultation, Commissioner Ellington said he would publish the protocols in the Force Orders on Friday, August 13, 2010.

The Commissioner reported that the investigation into the harassment of the CVM videographer was ongoing, following the initial removal of the policeman from frontline duty. He reiterated that the JCF would take appropriate disciplinary action against any member who obstructed media practitioners in the execution of their lawful duties at crime scenes.

Media representatives also raised with the Police High Command the issue of access to high security operations. Commissioner Ellington acknowledged the importance of the media gaining access in such situations, and stated that the police was willing to permit this, subject to safety considerations for the security forces and journalists. However, the Commissioner pointed out that where the law prohibited access to the media, the police had to conform.


Contact: Byron Buckley, President - 440 8393

Good news for Jamaica

Jean-Lowrie Chin | Jamaica Observer | Monday, July 19, 2010

WHEN we heard that the Chinese firm Complant was purchasing government's remaining sugar assets, someone quipped, "Well, this will give them a little sugar to put in the Blue Mountain Coffee they also bought!" It is good news and Aubyn Hill and his team should be congratulated for pulling this off.

With the sale of Air Jamaica and now this, we should be deeply relieved that our taxes are not shoring up inefficient entities, and that these restructured organisations still have good employment prospects for Jamaicans.

It counts that a superpower like China thinks that Jamaica is worth the investment. Theirs is a thriving economy and we can benefit greatly from their culture of diligence and high productivity. If only more Jamaicans would be as convinced as China that Jamaica is a good bet. I heard a cynical quip from a listener to Mutty Perkins' radio talk show recently: "Adam and Eve must be Jamaican. Imagine, God put them in the Garden of Eden where they could get everything they want and they still go wrap up with a serpent!"

The ingenious lengths to which Jamaicans go to operate outside the law make us wonder at the mindset that would put some of our most talented people on the wrong side of the law. Research by Professor Claudette Crawford Brown and Dr Herbert Gayle shows that many of our criminals are from troubled communities.

To make our investors happy with their decision, to make our fellow Jamaicans employable and new entrepreneurs themselves, government should be putting close and relentless focus on these communities.

We sympathise with the Jamaica Tourist Board that there has been a downturn in tourism. But how in heaven's name can we fix it by ploughing US$10 million into advertising and promotion? Those funds — J$890 million — can go a far way to improve the product, focusing on at-risk communities.

It would be great to see more activity from the JTB in social media. This is a low-cost, efficient way of engaging an international audience. As a Facebook fan of Usain Bolt, I am learning that he is approaching two million fans. He is also on Twitter.

Time to start saving!

Not enough people know that since 2005, our government has given Jamaicans a real break in the form of tax relief on savings of up to 20 per cent of their salary. If you have not yet opened a retirement savings account you need to do that today, not tomorrow! Actuary Cathy Lyn told us that pensioners may go back as far as five years to claim tax refunds on those savings.

We have been alerted by Professor Sir Kenneth Hall that we should be planning to fund 30 non-working years after retirement. Speaking at the launch of the BPM Personal Pension, he recalled that there used to be "another retirement package called children", but the very children to whom parents were looking for support are now "returning to the nest".

Sir Kenneth says young people do not think about retirement, though the 20s is the best time to start saving. He proposed that we appeal to them by showing them that they could be independently wealthy by age 55. He said personal savings will lift the economy, referring to the Chinese habit of saving 50 per cent of one's salary — "Jamaicans save only an average of 16 per cent of their salary."

Inflation is the enemy of the pensioner and so it was good news when BOJ Governor Brian Wynter told us at a Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP) Seminar last week that inflation was trending down. He believes that there should be "a societal consensus on inflation" as low inflation will help pensioners to maintain their purchasing power.

Financial analyst Sushil Jain urged expenditure control, and suggested that retirees find ways to continue earning as well as look beyond traditional saving plans. He said investments should be diversified and recommended insurance as "a necessary expense". Jain said it was important to utilise investment advisers as "discussions and understanding are important and it is better to have a second opinion". Please sign up for those free investment seminars being offered by various financial organisations — internationally approved and regulated options offer great opportunities even for modest investors.

COMMENTS (12)

howie J
7/19/2010
We don’t need to do research to tell us that many of our criminals are from troubled communities. We use our senses to see, smell, feel, hear and taste problems.
What we need to know from these social scientists is what methods were used to create conditions which have resulted in these troubled communities.

D H
7/19/2010
What is(was) the government's ownership interest in the sugar industry. Was it 100% or a much lesser amount. I hope it's the latter because sugar is such a crucial product. We rely on sugar for energy for our bodies(glucose) and as well sugar is suitable for use in creating fuel that powers machinery.
The Chinese appear to be investing in themselves with Jamaica gaining incidental benefit.
Keep giving away our energy and we'll be immobilized!
Carlos Bryson
7/19/2010
People hold off on the ethnocentricity bordering on racism. Granted, we run the risk of re-colonozation but nobody complained when others (Americans, Canadians and Brits) and now Spanish owned most of our industrial base. Why such vitriol against the Chinese? These people have been part of Jamaica for years and have contributed positively. Look at the people that look like you and how they have been screwing us royaly for ages. Hold their feet to the fire. Dont forget the motto.
Carlos Bryson
7/19/2010
Ja Cynic; it is not cynical to suggest our schools start teaching other languages. Seriously, my daughter had to choose a second language when she entered school at age 5. She chose spanish and now, after graduating college is very much attractive to Uncle Sam foreign service and the international employer base.
Jamaica being the beach-head to the Caribbean must diversify and learning many languages makes us more attractive. Learning Chinese with our knowledge of the West? That's added value.
Rovert Sirrah
7/19/2010
Are jumping up and clapping because Jamaica is being colonised by a communist country ? Can you imagine if this was happening under a PNP administration ? Sugar , bauxite , coffee , aiport , port , building roads , stadiums , convention centres . Whats next ? Come on people this is not progress.
Wharf Dawg
7/19/2010
Only the uninformed can view anything that that the Chinese do in Jamaica as good news.
One need only to look at other places where their 'good news' investments were made in the past to understand that this is the death knell of what remains of the Jamaican manufacturing industry. I can give you one example and that is the textile industry of Sub-Saharan Africa..

Winston Jones
7/19/2010
Very in formative piece Ms. Lowrie Chin. People must invest but should invest wisely. Saving is not necessarily a bad thing but if inflation keeps increasing then the value of your savings will take a big hit. As for the Chinese investors. We should never give up ownsrship of our natural resources to any foreign investors or companies. It is o.k. to lease out an industry if we are in capable of running the thing ourselves but selling off our riches for term gains is a no no.
Winston G
7/19/2010
What is wrong with this writer. Why has she moved away from Manatt to speak about "good news" to disturb persons like JA Cynic and Meat Head. Come on Ms. Lowrie Chin, get off the positive and let us keep focusing on what is wrong with Jamaica so that those who comment here can remain happy.
avid equin
7/19/2010
The deeper question is; in a global market where thousands of value chains are swirling around us, what is Jamaica's place? what role do we play? where is sustainable wealth to be harvested? Are we positioned to seriously participate as a worthy player in global value chains? Is our participation condemmed to be at the low value end or do we have the resource and capability to leverage hi value wealth harvesting? After all the proceeds of sales are consumed, are our people globally competitive?
Brain Allen
7/19/2010
Meat Head, what concern me is what we don't know about the deal. I would not be surprise to see the Chinese population increase in Jamaica and they start to vote. The only thing remaining before Chinese start to migrate in great numbers to Jamaica is for the government to grant China a television station in Jamaica. This is a betrayal of the Jamaican people (Africans) by Bruce Golding and the regime.
JA Cynic
7/19/2010
Soon we will all have to learn mandarin.The way things are going we should make it mandatory in primary schools and even have courses for those in the key ministries. Later, we may even have to update the electoral office.
Hope their will be an influx of reginal chinese cuisine. Jamaicans love chinese food.
JA Cynic
Meat Head
7/19/2010
I don't view the Chinese purchase with the same level of elation. China is not viewing their investment as charity -- they intend to repatriate the profits to further develop their country. These profits could have remained here, if only we had the management capacity. This is in spite of the financial rewards we give to managers and government. Going forward, I suppose we will continue to do what we do best -- give our labour cheaply for the benefit of others.

China hopes social safety net will push its citizens to consume more, save less

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/13/AR2010071305773.html?wpisrc=nl_headline

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